Application of neutron activation analysis to micro gram scale of solid samples

An instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) procedure for analyzing extremely small samples was developed and applied to two kinds of extraterrestrial samples. A few mg of the Allende meteorite as well as the JB-1 basalt can work well as a reference sample for a relative method. To evaluate the applicability of this INAA procedure, detection limits are presented and compared with the elemental contents in a potential sample to be analyzed. The possibility of reuse of neutron-irradiated samples for mass spectrometry was noted by indicating degree of increase in isotopic abundance for noble gas and long-lived radioactive nuclides.